Prudential PLC Has $12.42 Million Stock Position in Kimberly-Clark Co. (NYSE:KMB)

Prudential PLC lowered its stake in shares of Kimberly-Clark Co. (NYSE:KMB) by 39.5% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 94,795 shares of the company’s stock after selling 61,765 shares during the period. Prudential PLC’s holdings in Kimberly-Clark were worth $12,422,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Migdal Insurance & Financial Holdings Ltd. bought a new stake in Kimberly-Clark during the fourth quarter worth $25,000. Marshall Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Kimberly-Clark in the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. Golden State Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in Kimberly-Clark in the 4th quarter valued at about $32,000. Strategic Financial Concepts LLC bought a new position in Kimberly-Clark during the fourth quarter worth about $33,000. Finally, Roxbury Financial LLC bought a new position in Kimberly-Clark during the fourth quarter worth about $33,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 76.29% of the company’s stock.

Kimberly-Clark Price Performance

Shares of NYSE KMB opened at $137.76 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $45.69 billion, a PE ratio of 18.25, a P/E/G ratio of 4.46 and a beta of 0.37. Kimberly-Clark Co. has a fifty-two week low of $123.84 and a fifty-two week high of $150.45. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 7.05, a current ratio of 0.80 and a quick ratio of 0.54. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $137.64 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $135.99.

Kimberly-Clark (NYSE:KMB) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 28th. The company reported $1.50 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $1.50. Kimberly-Clark had a net margin of 12.69% and a return on equity of 201.43%. As a group, equities analysts predict that Kimberly-Clark Co. will post 7.5 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Kimberly-Clark Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, April 2nd. Investors of record on Friday, March 7th were paid a $1.26 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, March 7th. This is a positive change from Kimberly-Clark’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.22. This represents a $5.04 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.66%. Kimberly-Clark’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 66.75%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Kimberly-Clark

In other Kimberly-Clark news, VP Andrew Drexler sold 10,838 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $141.00, for a total value of $1,528,158.00. Following the sale, the vice president now owns 7,720 shares in the company, valued at $1,088,520. This trade represents a 58.40 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Company insiders own 0.64% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts have recently issued reports on the company. UBS Group raised their price objective on Kimberly-Clark from $132.00 to $134.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 29th. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $165.00 price target on shares of Kimberly-Clark in a report on Friday, January 24th. Citigroup decreased their price objective on shares of Kimberly-Clark from $125.00 to $118.00 and set a “sell” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, January 15th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their target price on shares of Kimberly-Clark from $140.00 to $124.00 and set an “underweight” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, January 16th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on shares of Kimberly-Clark from $130.00 to $140.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Friday, March 28th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $144.85.

Kimberly-Clark Profile

Kimberly-Clark Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and markets personal care and consumer tissue products in the United States. It operates through three segments: Personal Care, Consumer Tissue, and K-C Professional. The company’s Personal Care segment offers disposable diapers, training and youth pants, swimpants, baby wipes, feminine and incontinence care products, reusable underwear, and other related products under the Huggies, Pull-Ups, Little Swimmers, GoodNites, DryNites, Sweety, Kotex, U by Kotex, Intimus, Thinx, Poise, Depend, Plenitud, Softex, and other brand names.